ULEN, Minn. — A Minnesota Army Veteran who died as a prisoner of war in World War II will be memorialized this weekend. John Opgrand, 25, will be given a full military burial in Ulen on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Private First Class Opgrand was stationed in the Philippine Islands and at the beginning of WWII was captured by the Imperial Japanese Army when the Islands were forced to surrender. He survived the famous Baatan Death March and died in captivity at a POW camp in the Philippines. Through the promise of never forgetting its fallen, the US Army was able to recover and identify remains to return Opgrand home.
The Fargo Memorial Honor Guard will provide the military honors and salute to Opgrand.
